Throttle control mechanism for marine engines



June 14, 1960 J. B. PARSONS 2,940,330

THROTTLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MARINE mamas 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1957 NEUTRAL\ INVENTOR. JOHN B. PARSONS 0P WM .m

June 14, 1960 J. B. PARSONS 2,940,330

THROTTLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MARINE ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1957 REVERSE INVENTOR. JOHN B. PARSONS m ATTORN Y United States Patent THROTTLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MARINE ENGINES .iohn B. Parsons, 1210 River Road,.Maumee, Ohio,

Filed Apr. 26, 1957,56. No. 655,378

2 Claims. (Cl. 74-470) This invention relates to controi devices: for marine engines but more particularly to a manual throttle actuator which advantageously may be operatively associated with a clutch position selector.

Reference is hereby made to my copending application Serial No. 547,487, filed November 17, 1955 and entitled Reverse Gear Operating System for Marine Engines, and wherein full description and illustration of a clutch position selector are set forth. There it will be noted that a throttle control is juxtaposed to the operative members of the selector and is actuated conjointly. In the operation of such mechanism, it was found empirically that a tendency'of bending the throttle operating rod or member existed when the parts moved over dead center. Additionally a certain amount of objectionable play or slack was apparent before the throttle was opened. This invention overcomes these troubles and diificulties in an extremely simple, elficient and practical manner.

Other objects of the invention will hereafter appear and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of a combined clutch position selector and throttle control for marine engines, showing the same mounted on a supporting panel forming part of the marine craft;

Figure 2 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Figure l, the parts being shown in neutral position in which the engine idles without transmission of driving force to the propeller shaft;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the operating handle swung to its forward position, a broken line position indicating the position of the handle in the reverse running position of the engine; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a supporting panel forming part of a marine craft and mounted thereon is a combined clutch position selector and throttle control assembly 11. The assembly includes a housing 12, the opposite sides of which are flat and the ends and top are formed in a continuous curve. In the supporting panel 10 is an opening 13 and extending therethrough is a collection of wires 14 which extend to a circuit selector (not shown) more fully shown and described in my copending application aforesaid. Since the same forms no part of the present invention, description and illustration thereof are not considered necessary.

At one side of the housing 12 is a manual operating handle 15 formed with a knob 16 at the outer end to be grasped by the operator. The arrangement is such that when the handle is in its central position such as indicated on Figures 1 and 2, the engine is in its neutral position with the propeller shaft operatively disconnected therefrom. However when the handle is in its extreme forward position as shown by full lines on Figure 3, the propeller is driven in the proper direction to drive the craft forwardly. On the other hand, by pulling the con- 2,940,330 Patented June 14,. 1960 trol lever 15 rearwardly to the broken line position shown in Figure 3, the propeller is driven in the proper direction to impart reverse or backward movement to the craft. It should be understood that coupled to the handle 15. so as to move with the other part is the throttle control mechanism, the parts being so arranged that in the neutral operating position, the throttle is opened very slightly so that the engine merely idles. However upon forward or rearward movement of the control handle, the throttle is opened gradually to the full throttle open: position wherein the lever 15 is at one of its extreme positions of movement. Thus it will be understood that the usual reverse gear mechanism for the marine engine is operated by movement of the arm or lever 15 from its neutralposition and after the clutch is in engagement. then the engine can be accelerated by the further movement of the lever 15 in one direction or the other, thereby enabling the clutch first to be engaged before any substantial opening of the carburetor throttle valve.

The manual handle or lever 15 is fixed to a transverse shaft 17 which projects through and has bearing in the side walls of the housing 12. As set forth in the above mentioned patent application, the operative members, of the. clutch position selector are disposed within the housing and at least portions thereof are rocked along with the shaft, 17.

Suitably held against movement within the housing 12 is a bracket 18 which has a depending arm and at one side of the bracket is a clamp 19 which is tightened upon the shaft 17. Integral with the clamp 19 is a relatively short arm 20 to the outer end of which is pivoted one end of a link 21 which extends downwardly and is pivotally connected at its opposite end at 24 to an intermediate portion of an arm 22. One end of the arm 22 is pivotally connected at 23 to the depending arm of the bracket 18. As shown in Figure 2, a spring washer is employed in connection with the pivot 23 to provide a slight amount of friction to prevent rattling. It will be noted that the outer end portion of the arm 22 is offset as indicated at 25.

The offset end portion 25 of the arm 22 has a lost motion connection with a vertically disposed linearly shiftable member or rod 26 which is suitably connected at its opposite end to the carbureter throttle valve (not shown). In this instance an elongate housing 27 is screwed onto the end of the rod 26 and formed in one side of the housing adjacent the upper end thereof is a vertically elongate slot 28. Having one end fixedly secured to the offset end portion 25 of the arm 22 is a transversely extending pin 28a which projects through the slot 28 and has a ball or sphere-like end 29 which is disposed inside of the housing 27 and movable verticaliy therein to the extent of the slot 28. Closing the upper end of the housing is a ball seat member 3% which is screwed inside of the housing and is secured in place by a transversely extending cotter pin 31. It will be noted that the under surface of the member 3% is shaped to receive the ball end 29 of the pin 28a. Floating within the housing is a lower ball seat member 32 which has a depending stud to receive one end of a coil spring 33, the opposite end of which bears against the seat 34 formed in the housing 27.

From the above description it will be manifest that the helical coil spring 33 urges the lower seat member 32 snugly against the ball end 2?. When the parts are in neutral position as indicated on Figures 1 and 2, the ball 29 is spaced slightly away from its upper seat 30, the coil spring urging the lower seat member 32 into engagement with the ball 29. However upon movement of the operating arm 15 forwardly or rearwardly the relatively short arm 20 which turns with the transverse shaft 17 will tend to lift the arm 22 and bring the ball end 29 against the upper seat, the coil spring still urging the lower seat into engagement with the underside of the ball 29. Thus 1;

in the neutral position the link 21 is substantially on dead center, the parts being so constructed and arranged that 7 movement from the dead center to the throttle operating movementenables the, ball 29 to move relatively to its upper seat'30. This obviates the'tendency of imparting a bending stress 'upon the rod 26. It will further be manifest that the coil spring takes up any slack occasioned by movement of the ball 29 away from its upper seat 30.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangementland operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims, p e

' What I claim is: 1 7 1.11; a combined control for marine engines, a support, a clutchcontrol mechanism including shaft rotatably mounted insaid support, a manual operating lever connected, to said shaft for rocking the same between fiist, second and third angular positions respectively constituting forward, neutral and reverse clutch positions, a throttle control linkage comprising a rigid arm aflixed to said support and having an outer end disposed at a distance radially outward from said shaft, a crank arm rigid with said shaft for rocking therewith between two extreme angular positions and an intermediate position respectively corresponding to said forward, neutral and reverse clutch positions as well as open, closed and open throttle positions, said crank arm having an outer end disposed radially outward of said shaft a relatively short distance as compared with the outward extent of said rigid arm, a lever pivoted at an inner end to the outer end of 1 r 4 a vsaid rigid arm, alink pivoted at its opposite ends respectively to an intermediate portion of said lever and to the outer end of said crank arm, 'said' crank arm, in the intermediate position thereof, being aligned with said lever arm whereby rocking of said lever arm through said intermediate position constitutes an over-center motion with respect to said link, a push-pull throttle control rod, and a lost motion connection between the outer end of said lever and an end of said rod.

2. The combination-claimed in'claim 1, said lost motion connection comprisinga hollow tubular portion on rod, a lengthwise elongate slit through the side wall of ,said'tubular memberadjace'nt' the end thereof, a projection afiixed on the, outer'end of said lever and extending into the hollow interior ofsaid tubular member, and a compression spring operatively engaged between the hollow tubular portion and the projection and biasing the projection towards said end of said push-pull rod.

- R'efereuces Cited in thefile'of this patent 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 1,000,893 Buckley Aug. 15, 1911 1,449,395 Goetz -2 Mar. 27,1923 2,069,931 Trott Feb. 9, 1937 2,118,730 Kalbreier May 24, 1938 2,268,601 .Knox- Jan. 6, 1942 2,337,370 Wallace et a1. Oct. 23, 1945 2,593,643 Woolf Apr. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France Nov. 15, 1921 imam 

